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Sony talks portable LittleBigPlanet, Guitar Hero/Rock Band

Zach Lott — Wed, 19 Nov 2008 10:20:01 -0600

Rumors that LittleBigPlanet is getting a PSP iteration have been around since April and were recently strengthened by a rumor found within the pages of the latest Electronic Gaming Monthly (EGM), so MTV's Multiplayer Blog asked Sony's John Koller about the rumors during a phone interview yesterday.

Koller's comments from the story:

"'LittleBigPlanet is so expansionary. I think the developers really concentrating on right now making sure that the launched product is everything it could be and can be. Were watching the UGC [user generated content] and seeing how thats playing out. But for the future, I think certainly, wed look at a wide variety of opportunities. Whether thats the PSP or not, I cant really say. We certainly look at LittleBigPlanet franchise as a going forward franchise for us, and that speaks to the PlayStation brand overall.

Multiplayer also asked Koller about the possibility of Rock Band or Guitar Hero hitting the PSP, as well:

Its of huge interest to us. Thats something youd really have to talk to the developers on that side [if] its going to happen or not. For us, we look at the music area as being critical for PSP and the social area of interest as well. PSP is a lot different than your traditional handheld product and music is the number two use on the PSP, behind gaming. So, the marrying of those two concepts is of huge interest to us, and if theres that opportunity to launch a title like that or even a new title that utilizes music in some way, then obviously were very interested.

Sounds like there may be something to these rumors. Stay tuned, we'll let you know if anything is announced.

Sony: 80% of PS3 users are "active" on PSN

Zach Lott — Tue, 18 Nov 2008 15:04:27 -0600

In a post celebrating the second anniversary of the release of the PS3 on the official U.S. Playstation Blog yesterday, Sony's John Koller went through an extensive list of the system's achievements, but one that should draw your attention more than the others is this figure: 14 million "active" PSN accounts.

If Sony is to be believed, then this means that around 80% of PS3 owners are currently active on PSN, but chances are that this isn't the whole story. I'd be willing to bet that the 80% figure is counting people who have made an account, not just people who are actually using it on a regular basis, as I think that figure would be somewhat lower.

What do you guys think?

Sony Addresses Little Big Planet Moderation

Solomon Lee — Thu, 13 Nov 2008 18:54:31 -0600

For those of you wondering why your precious LBP level was deleted without cause or notice, Sony has provided a formal explanation on the Three Speech blog in the form of guidelines:

Ensure that the content you share with other users is suitable for all ages - everyone has access to your level if you publish it
Please respect other people's intellectual property rights. For example, don't use images, brands or logos that you're not entitled to use.
If you come across any content that you feel the need to report, then please do it responsibly. Hoax reports will be considerable inappropriate behavior.

There you have it folks! Don't be afraid to create a living canvas or to build something truly unique - as long as they adhere to these guidelines.

Prinny: Is It Okay If I'm the Protagonist? Screens.

Ryan Fulton — Sun, 02 Nov 2008 16:08:40 -0600

Dengeki Online has posted quite a few screenshots from the upcoming NIS game Prinny: Is It Okay If I'm the Protagonist. So far the game is confirmed for US release, but no word on a release date. Rumor has it that it's one of the harder games that you'll come across. If you like what you see, you can always try out the demo that's available on the Japanese PSN Store.

Launch Gallery: Prinny: Protagonist

(41 images)

Official PS3 Headset: A Non-technical, Non-lengthy Review.

Ryan Fulton — Sun, 19 Oct 2008 16:40:57 -0500

The Official PS3 Wireless Headset that recently shipped with SOCOM and will see a future solo release on this upcoming Tuesday it is quite a nifty piece of tech. Through testing with a friend and by simply playing SOCOM it's rather apparent that this is a top quality headset.

The speaker is crisp and clear, and the dual microphone setup does an amazing job of picking up what you're saying with minimal distortion. Though untested and personally unconfirmed, the headset also works as a general microphone when docked if you should so chose to use it in such a manner. The inclusion of a mute button is also a welcome addition, especially when you consider the fact that games like Call of Duty 4 use an "open mic" system. The headset is considered comfortable by general consensus and personally I find it easy to forget that I'm even wearing it.

All in all, it's a top quality headset that if you own a PS3 and you happen to not have a headset, or if you're just sick of the horrible one that you have now, it's definitely worth looking into picking this headset up.

Little Big Planet: See You in Another Week.

Ryan Fulton — Sat, 18 Oct 2008 00:42:24 -0500

In a move that's just shy of incomprehensible Sony and Media Molecule have decided to push the release date of the exceedingly anticipated Little Big Planet back by a week and to break my heart in the process. Citing issues of a song that contains messages from the Qur'an, the game has been delayed in shipping until October 27th in order to remove the offending lyrics; the game can be expected around the 4th of November if Amazon is to be believed.

So... Feel free to play Fable 2 without feeling guilty now. At least for a week or two. Unless Sony does something awesome for atonement and opens a full public beta or something. Please do something awesome?

Firmware Alert: PS3 2.50 and PSP 5.0 Due Up Soon.

Ryan Fulton — Mon, 13 Oct 2008 20:09:06 -0500

Today is a momentous occasion for those of you who were waiting on baited breath for the newest firmware releases on Sony's systems. For today, marks the day, when most of the features for the new updates were announced. While there is no hard release date given, we can assume that the PS3 update, at least, will be sometime this week due to the inclusion of the PS3 headset with SOCOM which releases this week.

For a list of notable features for both systems, hit the jump.

PS3:

Support for the new PS3 Bluetooth Headset.
The ability to take your stalking to a new level and spy on your friends playing habits, or at least see when they last played.
Trophy improvements, for the 3 games that you have which support trophies.
A more upfront manner for redeeming PSN codes to coincide with the advent of PSN cards being available at more retailers.
A welcome sleep-mode for both the PS3 and controllers.
A screenshot function. Allow me to be the first to thank Sony for this awesome feature. I don't know how this is the first time that it has been introduced to a system.

PSP:

You can now access the PlayStation Network and PSN Store by way of your PSP.
I suppose I didn't need a bullet list.

GB Preview: Snag some Little Big Love in Little Big Planet

Shiva Stella — Fri, 10 Oct 2008 16:49:41 -0500

If you haven't heard of Media Molecule's Little Big Planet by now, I want to be you. I've spent the last 72 hours holed up in my imaginary cubicle with nothing but the PlayStation 3's holiday savior, completing creatively designed levels with dragon bosses, Silent Hill pyramid heads (think SH 2; you know what I'm talking about), rockets, ghosts, dinosaurs, Mario (sorry Luigi), Indiana Jones (I kid you not!), Nathan Drake, and--of course--the deliciously adorable sackboy. Or sackgirl. As Media Molecule would probably interrupt right now, it's all up to you.

I don't want to be too cruel to those of you unfortunate enough to not receive a highly coveted invitation to join the beta, (okay, maybe a little cruel), but really, you're not missing too much--only one of the most interesting, thought-provoking, heartwarming, sweetest masterpieces we've seen from this console generation the likes of which may actually put Fable II in its place, and yes, Mr. Molyneux, I did just say that. Possibly I'm over-exaggerating, but after spending significant time delightfully chained to the sackboys and sackgirls in the beta (community hug!), Little Big Planet may just convince you that your PlayStation 3 purchase was worth it after all.

At the heart of LBP lies its undeniable, addicting charm. A tiny, plain sackboy might not look like much--just a little creature your grandmother could have knitted for you eons ago, you know, when you still played with dolls--but herein you'll find that its stark simplicity is what is most endearing: a trite, but almost loving creature operates as your mirror self, full of limitless potential and impossible to measure possibilities, complete with a witty British narrator who would have made your childhood so much easier when he wasn't drowning you in tea.

And if painting your own canvas is your thing, you're in luck--you'll have ample opportunity to turn your sack-self into something truly dashing, like an Elizabethan housewife, a bunny-eared cowpoke, a pirate with a savvy polkadotted dress, or even Kratos if you're all smash and no class. Name a customization option and it's here; change eyes, material color, throw in some teeth, maybe a disgusting mustache or a miscellaneous animal part to let everyone know you walk on the wild side, and viola--instant sack-asso. Your mum would be proud.

After you've completed your "look", you'll want to stroll through the enchanting levels designed by MM in the game's story mode. LBP's stages contain the whole package; you'll listen to infectious music and great sound effects, swing from giant sponges, watch a little tutorial tv, hop a ride on a bird, and, most importantly, sticker the place up with collectible items. And here we find the magic of LBP: at its core half of the game is about getting your grubby sack-paws on every single item, object, sticker, material, or decoration you can spot. The other half is about using those items to create a living world.

This dynamic universe is the epitome of videogame self-expression. If you ever wanted to design a level in which Solid Snake fought off Metal Gear Rex with snazzy cardboard boxes, you can do it. If you've dreamed of Mega Man racing your friends in the latest WipeOut, you can do it. And if you've fantasized about recreating every single level from the original Mario Brothers, you can do that, too--with some obvious caveats, the point being that if you're creative enough, the game gives you the tools with which to realize your fun delusions.

And everything is easy to master. The level design tools offer tutorials for every aspect, from placing an object or using a template to covering the world with bright purple flowers or coating the walls with blood (hey, this makes for a great aesthetic effect). Your only real limit is a bar that lets you know much room is left in your stage to fill with objects, and if you're not using a template that's a lot of space to test your imagination in.

Once you're creation is set to rock the sack-world, it becomes available for you and all your sack friends to play through together, including newbie strangers who operate as fantastic q/a testers and leave great comments like "SNAAAAAAKE!" and "needs more Mario". Anyone who plays through your level can rate it with a tag, from "awesome" and "fun" to "short" and "stupid", and those who love what you've done with the place can mark the stage with a heart so they always have immediate access to the thrill-zone that is your creative genius. At this point there is some lag when you're playing online with your fellow sack-peoples, but how much of this is relegated to the final product is impossible to tell yet, so cross your delicately stitched fingers and remember that a little lag is worth the chance to show off your sack-casa to your buddy list.

If you're as enthusiastic about Little Big Planet as the rest of the world, you can join the pre-order gig by clicking on one of my handy links below, where I've noted what pre-order goody goes with which retailer to save you some googling. Meanwhile you'll find me in LBP, robbing banks and rescuing sack-peoples from ferocious red-ringed Xbox 360s. Here's hoping I see you there on October 21.

Best Buy: Nariko (Heavenly Sword)
EBGames/Gamestop: Kratos, Medusa, Minotaur (God of War pack)
Amazon: Downloadable level design guide, sometimes a free $10 gift card as well
GameCrazy: Adorable knitted zipper pouch
Circuit City: Free $10 gift card
ALL: Space Suit Sackboy Costume (free from MM/PSN)

Little Big Planet: SquareEnix/Konami approved!

Ryan Fulton — Thu, 09 Oct 2008 18:05:56 -0500

God's honest truth, I didn't care about Sony's Little Big Planet until just a moment ago. Ok, that was a blatant lie, it's already pre-ordered, but that's hardly the point of what I'm going for here. Basically, we all knew that Kratos and Nariko were going to be making appearances in LBP, and that was cool. PlaySation Blog one-upped those two by breaking news of an additional round of sacked-out franchise characters.

Assuming you added your own drum roll there, the newly announced characters are none other than Metal Gear's Solid Snake, and Final Fantasy VII's Sephiroth. Please, kindly, resist the urge to make LBP Sephiroth x Snake yaoi. Who am I kidding; I'm sure someone is already writing the fanfic as I'm posting this.

TGS 08: Demons Souls, a New PS3 RPG.

Ryan Fulton — Wed, 08 Oct 2008 19:19:00 -0500

Sony has announced a new RPG title for the PlayStation 3 by the name of Demon's Souls. Billed as a spiritual successor to the Japanese only PS1 RPG King's Field, not much is known about the game at this point.

Launch Gallery: Demons Blood

(11 images)

Thanks to NeoGAF for the original link.

Sony's Jack Tretton, "[Numbers and Stuff]."

Ryan Fulton — Thu, 02 Oct 2008 18:07:45 -0500

SCEA's big man on campus, Jack Tretton, recently announced that the PlayStation brand as a whole is selling like half-priced Ensure at a retirement community. Numbers are up from estimates and everything is going well.

The PlayStation 3 has been selling at a rate that's over 30% better than originally estimated and is on track to hit 10 million units by March '09. That's an increase of over 100% versus last year's sales. So that means, that over the same period of time, Sony managed to sell 100% more consoles than last year which is 30% more than what they were expecting to so that works out to roughly... Ok, we can assume that they're pretty happy with the sales; math was never my strong suit.

The PSP is also said to be selling at somewhere between 20 and 30% over their estimates. All told, things are going pretty well, or at least better than planned.

Photo: Justin Sullivan/Getty Images.

WipEout HD: How'd they do it?

Ryan Fulton — Sat, 27 Sep 2008 15:34:48 -0500

Now after playing WipEout HD you may ask yourself, how did they manage to keep the game running at a crisp 1080p with 60 fps? Well the answer isn't a demonic compact, nor is it wizardry of any sort. Ok maybe it's technical wizardry, but that's not really what I had in mind.

You see, rather than being rendered in true 1080p at all times, the game's engine uses a dynamic output that scales based upon how much the system can handle at any given point. After it pushes out the best resolution it can while keeping the game at 60fps the data is passed along to the PS3's hardware horizontal scaler to make up the difference, all the while maintaining the amazingly fast pace of the game.

Pretty neat, huh? Please hit the link to get a far more technical walkthrough of the process.

SCEA's John Koller: PSP's Got Games in 2009, Really. Probably?

Ryan Fulton — Thu, 25 Sep 2008 21:46:09 -0500

On Tuesday Edge Online posted a feature detailing the decline of third party games for the PSP. Backed with data the findings seemed almost damning despite the last years increase in PSP sales. Within two days, John Koller, SCEAs hardware marketing head, responded to this report.

In the short, boring, and abstract, the answer is that somewhere around two years ago businesses decided that the PSP wasnt selling super well and decided to push their resources elsewhere, specifically into the then emerging current-gen consoles.

Where the article gets interesting is when Koller mentions that, [Sony has] a number of very strong franchise games on the docket that will be launching next year. We havent gone public with those, and many third-parties have not yet either because theyre concentrating on holiday, but we have a number of very strong titles coming. As to what those titles may be is anyones guess. Needless to say, this is a welcome sign for PSP owners and an open invitation for those who were on the fence about the system.

PlayStation Store Update: Best. Week. Ever.

Ryan Fulton — Thu, 25 Sep 2008 21:08:41 -0500

With this weeks PlayStation Store update Sony seems to have gone out of their way to provide gamers with far more content than anyone who has a job and doesnt suffer from insomnia can handle. Including several highly anticipated titles, this weeks PSN store update may just (but hopefully wont) prove to be the biggest week that the service will enjoy. Now, lets make with the mind-boggling, thumb-destroying list.

WipEout HD: After what seems like a metric eternity, SCE Studio Liverpool has unleashed their much awaited futuristic racing title for the appealing price point of $19.99.
Burnout Paradise: Not to be contented with one robust racing title on PSN this week, developer Criterion has turned their disc-based title into a fully featured PSN title that carries a $29.99 price tag.
Megaman 9: Capcom brings back Inafunes titular little blue manservant for another round of stealing skills from the various and sundry bosses that have co-opted the Brady Bunchs opening title. Get down with Rockman for the moderate price of $9.99. (Or just play the demo repeatedly and imagine the enemies being different for free. And your parents said that your imagination would get you nowhere)
GEON Emotions: Bliss, rage, envy or fear use the power of your 8 emotions to purchase and play the title that XBL has had for the last year and a month. You can get in on some GEON for $9.99.
Various Rock Band songs: Rock out like Geddy Lee and Neil Peart with Rushs Moving Pictures. There are a few other songs too, maybe youre into them. If youre at all interested in this sort of thing you likely already know the pricing.

There are also a few demos this week including NBA Live 09 and, on the complete opposite side of the spectrum, NBA 09. As one could likely guess there are some videos that have been posted as well; Resistance 2 and Tomb Raider Underworld top the list. Backgrounds and such also make an appearance along with a few PSP games that made the cut this week: Untold Legends and Puzzle Quest. In a shocker to literally no one, there are still no PS1 classics worth writing home about.

So thats this weeks PSN Store update. Please be delighted, and if you dont mind give us a yell about what youre picking up. Youll likely catch me on WipEout HD.

PlayStation Store Update: The Last Guy, Warhawk DLC, NHL 09 Demo

Zach Lott — Thu, 28 Aug 2008 23:40:20 -0500

Thursday is here, and thus the Playstation Store has received another update. As always, there's plenty of content to be had, including the new game The Last Guy, some fresh DLC for Warhawk, and a demo of NHL 09. Check out the list of additions after the jump.

Downloadable Games

The Last Guy ($9.99)

Add-On Game Content

Warhawk Fallen Star Pack ($7.99)

Warhawk Booster Combo ($15.99)

Rock Band

She Does - Locksley ($0.99)

Dont Make Me Wait - Locksley ($0.99)

Dont Make Me Wait - Locksley ($0.99)

All Over Again - Locksley ($0.99)

Locksley Pack 1 ($2.99) - includes: All Over Again, Dont Make Me Wait, and She Does by Locksley.

Game Demos (free)

NHL 09

Soulcaliber IV

Game Videos (free)

SOCOM Confrontation Extraction Trailer

LittleBigPlanet Leipzig "Sackzilla" Trailer

Motorstorm Pacific Rift Leipzig Trailer

PAIN Trauma Mode Trailer

GT5 Prologue Play With The Pros! With Tanner Foust

Brothers in Arms: Hell's Highway Machine Gun and Bazooka Trailer

Brothers in Arms: Hell's Highway Sqaud Gameplay Trailer

Facebreaker Audition # 1

Facebreaker Audition # 2

Facebreaker Audition # 3

Madden NFL 09 Gameplay Trailer

Madden NFL 09 Madden Moments Trailer

Madden NFL 09 Play Call Trailer

Top Spin 3 Player Creator Trailer

Movies and Blu-Ray Trailers (free)

Quantum of Solace Trailer

Prom Night Trailer

PS3 Wallpapers (free)

The Last Guy Wallpaper (x2)

PSP Themes (free)

Cake Mania: Bakers Challenge Theme

PSP Wallpapers (free)

PSP Wallpapers Series 1 Wallpaper (x3)
Hot Shots Golf Open Tee 2 Wallpaper (x2)
Cake Mania: Bakers Challenge Wallpaper (x3)

Next Team Ico Project Unveiling?

Solomon Lee — Thu, 28 Aug 2008 20:20:20 -0500

There's been no word of Team Ico's next project for the Playstation 3 for the longest while. However, Sony Worldwide Studios Head, Shuhei Yoshida recently spoke with VG247 by stating that they have been "working very hard since the release of Shadow of the Colossus."

Aside from the screenshot above, no other details are available for this highly anticipated title. In response to the lack of public information surrounding this game, Yoshida is quoted as saying, "Soon you'll see."

PlayStation Store Update: Ratchet and Clank Future: Quest For Booty, Force Unleashed Demo

Zach Lott — Thu, 21 Aug 2008 19:14:15 -0500

Sony has once again updated the Playstation Store, with the main additions being the release of Ratchet and Clank Future: Quest for Booty and a demo for Star Wars: The Force Unleashed. There are plenty of other demos, trailers, and such, so check out the list of new content after the jump.

Downloadable Games

Ratchet and Clank Future: Quest for Booty ($14.99)

EA Sports Live Score Tracker ($.99)

Add-On Game Content

Hot Shots Golf Out of Bounds: Kratos Character ($1.99)

HAZE Domination Pack (free)

Guitar Hero III

Dragonforce Track Pack ($6.25)

"Heroes of Our Time"

"Revolution Deathsquad"

"Operation Ground and Pound"

Rock Band

Individual Songs

Through Being Cool - Devo ($1.99)

Girl U Want - Devo ($1.99)

Rio - Duran Duran ($1.99)

Girls on Film - Duran Duran

Get Your Rock On 1 The Janitors ($0.99)

Game Demos (free)

The Last Guy

Star Wars: The Force Unleashed

NFL Head Coach 09

Leipzig Game Videos (free)

SCEE Leipzig Software Compiliation

Ratchet and Clank Future: Quest for Booty Launch Trailer

inFamous Leipzig Trailer

Warhawk Fallen Star Video

Game Videos (free)

The Last Guy Cities Trailer

PAIN Clown Toss Mode Trailer

PAIN Hot 'n Cold Mode Trailer

Vampire Rain Altered Species Trailer 5

Vampire Rain Gameplay Trailer #2

BiA Hell's Highway Making Of #1: Operation

BiA Hell's Highway Making Of #2: Roll Call

Madden NFL 09 Backtrack Video

Madden NFL 09 Replay Video

Madden NFL 09 Virtual Trainer Video

PS3 Themes (free)

Ratchet and Clank Future: Quest for Booty Theme

inFamous Theme

PS3 Wallpapers (free)

Ratchet and Clank Future: Quest for Booty Wallpaper
Motorstorm Pacific Rift Leipzig Wallpaper
TNA iMPACT! Wrestling Wallpaper (x3)

Playstation Store For PC

Jeanne DArc ($22.99)
Ratchet & Clank Future: Quest for Booty Launch Trailer
Jeanne DArc trailer
Yggdra Union official trailer
Hot Shots Golf Open Tee 2 Wallpaper (x2)
Yggdra Union Wallpaper (x3)

New PSP Model In The Works

Zach Lott — Thu, 14 Aug 2008 11:52:53 -0500

Rumors of a new PSP model have been floating around for a few months now, but you can finally place them in the "Confirmed" column, as the folks at Gizmodo have uncovered the FCC filing for the "PSP-3001."

The documents show that the redesign is largely focused on the internal components, meaning that Sony is probably trying to reduce the cost and make the system more resilient to hacking instead of improving the aesthetics. If you're a homebrewer, you might want to wait to see how hackable the new system will be before you switch over.

PlayStation Store Update: Siren Blood Curse, Summer Game Sale

Zach Lott — Thu, 24 Jul 2008 20:04:44 -0500

It's time yet again for Sony's weekly update to the Playstation Store, and this week features a couple of new games in the form of Siren: Blood Curse and 1942: Joint Strike in addition to discounts on existing titles and more. Check out the list of additions after the jump.

PS3 Store Sale

For one week, the following titles will be offered for $4.99 (regularly priced at $9.99)

PAIN
PixelJunk Monsters
High Velocity Bowling
High Stakes on the Vegas Strip: Poker Edition
Rocketmen: Axis of Evil

Downloadable Games

Siren: Blood Curse (3 bundles of 4 episodes @ $14.99/ea & full game SKU for $39.99)

1942: Joint Strike ($9.99)

Add-On Game Content

Guitar Hero III: Guitar Virtuoso Pack ($6.25)

Surfing with the Alien - Joe Satriani

"Soothsayer" - Buckethead

"For the Love of God" - Steve Vai

Rock Band

Devour - Shinedown ($1.99)

Junkies for Fame - Shinedown ($1.99)

Nine Inch Nails Track Pack 02 ($5.49 includes songs below or songs available individually)

Last - Nine Inch Nails ($1.99)

Burn - Nine Inch Nails ($1.99)

Capital G - Nine Inch Nails ($1.99)

Game Demos (free)

PixelJunk Eden Demo

Game Videos (free)

PixelJunk Eden Trailer

Street Fighter IV: E3 2008 Gameplay Trailer

Street Fighter IV: PS3 Special Trailer

Bionic Commando Rearmed The Making of Part 1

PS3 Themes (free)

Killzone 2 Wallpapers (2 for PS3, 2 for PSP)

PixelJunk Eden Wallpaper

Fracture Wallpapers (x4)

Siren Wallpapers (x5)

Playstation Store for PC

Parappa the Rapper ($22.99)
Parappa the Rapper Trailer (free)
Killzone 2 Wallpapers (x2 for PSP) (free)
Parappa the Rapper Wallpapers (x4) (free)

E3 2008: PlayStation Store Update

Shiva Stella — Wed, 16 Jul 2008 13:03:57 -0500

Many of the videos presented during Sony's conference yesterday have been added to the PlayStation Store for comfortable download and viewing at home. Take a peek.

PS3 Store

Super Stardust HD Team Mode Add-on ($4.99)

Rock Band

Rock Band The Best of the Who Rock Band Edition Track Pack ($19.99)

(12) individual songs ($1.99/ea)

Amazing Journey
Baba ORiley
Behind Blue Eyes
Eminence Front
Going Mobile
Leaving Here
My Generation
Good Looking Boy
Sea & Sand
Summertime Blues
Who Are You?
Young Man Blues

Videos

God of War III
Motorstorm Pacific Rift
Xamd Lost Memories
Buzz PSP
Resistance: Retribution
Ratchet & Clank Quest for Booty
PixelJunk Eden
Siren Blood Curse
PAIN Amusement Park
Gran Turismo TV
MKU vs DCU
Blitz The League II
Valkyria Chronicles
Resident Evil 5
This is Vegas
TNA Impact! Wrestling

PC Store

Videos

Resistance: Retribution
Buzz PSP
God of War III
Motorstorm Pacific Rift
Xamd Lost Memories
Ratchet & Clank Quest for Booty
PixelJunk Eden
Siren Blood Curse
PAIN Amusement Park
Gran Turismo TV

E3 2008: Resistance 2 Screenshots

Aaron Dunlap — Tue, 15 Jul 2008 17:02:21 -0500

Launch Gallery: Resistance 2

(3 images)

E3 2008: Killzone 2 Screenshots

Aaron Dunlap — Tue, 15 Jul 2008 17:00:55 -0500

Launch Gallery: Killzone 2

(6 images)

E3 2008: 80GB PS3 for $399

Shiva Stella — Tue, 15 Jul 2008 14:52:54 -0500

Sony has confirmed a new PS3 hardware package, this one including an 80GB unit and the Dualshock 3 at a comfortable $399.

E3 2008: Sony Confirms New PSP Titles

Shiva Stella — Tue, 15 Jul 2008 14:42:59 -0500

Here's a quick list of PSP titles being announced at the Sony conference at E3.

Resistance Retribution (Spring 2009)
Patapon 2
The Force Unleashed
Super Stardust Portable
Madden 09
LocoRoco 2
NBA 09
The Inside
Lego Batman
Buzz Master Quiz

E3 2008: Final Fantasy XIII To Hit Xbox 360

Zach Lott — Mon, 14 Jul 2008 15:44:31 -0500

Sqaure Enix President Yoichi Wada dropped a bombshell at the end of Microsoft's press conference today, as he revealed that Final Fantasy XIII is no long exclusive to the PS3 and will be available for the Xbox 360 on release day.

This is huge news for Sony, as one could now argue that they have to show at least one huge game at their conference tommorow to show that they have quality exclusives in the pipeline for the PS3. There's no doubt that they'll be facing pressure to show that the PS3 can compete with the 360's lineup of exclusives, which includes Fable 2 and Gears of War 2.

Stay tuned, we'll keep you updated with all the big announcements.

Playstation Store Update: Rainbow Six Vegas 2 DLC, Siren: Blood Curse Demo

Zach Lott — Thu, 10 Jul 2008 17:04:47 -0500

It's time once again for Sony to update the Playstation Store, and this week brings plenty of DLC for Rainbow Six Vegas 2 and Rock Band along with four new demos and the usual plethora of trailers.

Check out the list of additions after the jump.

Add-On Game Content

Tom Clancy's Rainbow Six Vegas 2 - Gift Pack DLC (free)

Rock Band

Individual Songs

Working Man (Vault Edition) - Rush ($1.99)
Closer to the Heart - Rush ($1.99)
Snow (Hey Oh) - Red Hot Chili Peppers ($1.99)
Tell Me Baby - Red Hot Chili Peppers ($1.99)

Game Demos (free)

Siren: Blood Curse Demo

Monster Madness: Grave Danger Demo

WALL-E Demo

The Chronicles of Narnia: Prince Caspian Demo

Game Videos (free)

SOCOM: U.S. Navy SEALs Confrontation - Assault Trailer

Elefunk Official Trailer

Siren: Blood Curse Story Trailer

Super Stardust HD Add-on Intro

AST Dew Tour - Playstation Pro Moment

AST Dew Tour - Bilko's Road to Finals

AST Dew Tour - Burnquist Talks

Civilization Revolution Launch trailer

Brothers in Arms: Hell's Highway Destructible Cover Gameplay Video

Dead Space Dev Diary #1: Greenlight

Movie and Blu-Ray Trailers (free)

Quarantine

PlayStation 3 Firmware 2.40 Available

Tim Grube — Wed, 02 Jul 2008 16:28:10 -0500

Sony Computer Entertainment America has promised over the past few weeks that we would see the next firmware very soon for the PlayStation 3 console. Today, the company introduced firmware 2.4. Many features include customized soundtracks, the in-game XMB, on-screen clock, a quick shutdown icon, and a shortcut to Google.

The trophies system unfortunately isn't supported in all games as of yet.

Sony does say their biggest titles,Burnout Paradise and Uncharted: Drake's Fortune will soon get the trophie treatment. To obtain this update, turn on your PlayStation 3 and check for updates! We will keep you updated on further developments regarding the new XMB interface and trophie system

Playstation Store Update: Hot Shots Golf Out Of Bounds Demo, New Album For Rock Band

Zach Lott — Thu, 26 Jun 2008 20:21:59 -0500

It's time for another Playstation Store update, and this week brings plenty of content for you guys, including a new downloadable album for Rock Band and demos of the latest Hot Shots Golf game and Top Spin 3.

Check out the full list of additions after the jump.

Add-On Game Content

MediEvil: Resurrection (PSP, $16.99)

PAIN Nigel Character ($0.99)

Guitar Hero III: Legends of Rock I am Murloc World of Warcraft Single (free)

Rock Band

Individual Tracks

Crackity Jones - the Pixies ($1.99)
Dead - the Pixies ($1.99)
Debaser - the Pixies ($1.99)
Gouge Away - the Pixies ($1.99)
Here Comes Your Man - the Pixies ($1.99)
Hey - the Pixies ($1.99)
I Bleed - the Pixies ($1.99)
La La Love You - the Pixies ($1.99)
Monkey Gone to Heaven - the Pixies ($1.99)
Mr. Grieves - the Pixies ($1.99)
No. 13 Baby - the Pixies ($1.99)
Silver - the Pixies ($1.99)
Tame - the Pixies ($1.99)
There Goes my Gun - the Pixies ($1.99)
Dreamin - Weezer ($1.99)
The Greatest Man That Ever Lived - Weezer ($1.99)
Troublemaker - Weezer ($1.99)

Song Packs

Doolittle album ($18.99)
Weezer Pack 1 ($5.49)

Game Demos (free)

Hot Shots Golf Out of Bounds Demo

Top Spin 3 Demo

Game Videos (free)

Battlefield: Bad Company Accolades TV Spot

Battlefield: Bad Company Prestons Blog

Brothers in Arms: Hells Highway - Ubidays Trailer

Call of Duty: World at War Trailer

The Incredible Hulk Trailer

HAZE Launch Trailer

HAZE Song Trailer

Medievil Resurrection interview trailer

Movie and Blu-Ray Trailers (free)

The House Bunny Trailer

So I Married An Axe Murderer Blu-Ray Disc Trailer

Men in Black Blu-Ray Disc Trailer

PS3 Themes (free)

PAIN: Nigel Theme
Playstation Network Theme

PSP Wallpaper (free)

Medievil Resurrection wallpaper (x3)

Playstation Store Update: Fatal Inertia EX, MGS4 Database

Zach Lott — Thu, 19 Jun 2008 23:30:56 -0500

The weekly update to the Playstation Store is here, and Sony has once again delivered plenty of content for everyone to enjoy. This week's highlights include the release of Koei's combat racer Fatal Inertia EX as well as a Metal Gear Solid 4 database. Other content includes demos for NCAA Football 2009, new Rock Band and Guitar Hero III tracks, and a trailer for the new Prince of Persia game.

Hit the jump for the full list of additions.

Downloadable Games

Fatal Inertia EX ($29.99)

Add-on Game Content

Hot Shots Golf: Out Of Bounds Oceania Course ($4.99)

Metal Gear Solid 4 Database (free)

The Incredible Hulk Downloadable Content (free)

Guitar Hero III: Legends of Rock

Coldplay Track Pack ($6.25)

"Violet Hill"
"Talk"
"God Put A Smile Upon Your Face"

Rock Band

Individual Songs

Rock n Roll Dream - Crooked X ($0.99)
Afterlife - Avenged Sevenfold ($1.99)
Critical Acclaim - Avenged Sevenfold ($1.99)
Hammerhead - The Offspring ($1.99)

Game Demos (free)

Fatal Inertia EX Trial

NCAA Football 09 Demo

Wolf of the Battlefield: Commando 3 Demo

Hail to the Chimp Demo

Game Videos (free)

Linger in Shadows Trailer

PAIN: Character Intro Trailer

Fatal Inertia EX Titan Trailer

Golden Axe: Beast Rider Teaser Trailer

Prince of Persia Debut Trailer

Hail to the Chimp Campaign Trail Madness Trailer

Movie and Blu-Ray Trailers (free)

Step Brothers (x2)

PS3 Themes (free)

AST Dew Tour Theme

Game Music (free)

PAIN Theme Song

Secret Agent Clank Released For PSP

Tim Grube — Tue, 17 Jun 2008 15:40:00 -0500

Sony Computer Entertainment America Inc. announced today the North American release of Secret Agent Clank for the PSP. The time around, Clank's gameplay will be more like Ratchet's. In past titles, playing him was more about solving puzzles; now, he is a full on action character with weapons and gadgets of his own.

"Ratchet and Clank has proven to be a witty, well produced franchise with a long lasting legacy of action packed gameplay, out-of-this world weapons, and family friendly humor," said Jeff Reese, director, software marketing, SCEA. "Developer High Impact Games bolsters that legacy with Secret Agent Clank, again bringing innovation to the platform while poking fun at the spy movies we all know and love."

The title is rated "E" for Everyone by the ESRB.

Metal Gear Solid 4 Hits Store Shelves

Zach Lott — Thu, 12 Jun 2008 14:08:10 -0500

The wait for Metal Gear Solid 4: Guns of the Patriots is finally over, as Konami announced today that the game has shipped to retailers across the nation.

"Metal Gear Solid 4: Guns of the Patriots not only represents the height of the stealth-action genre, but it also defines what it is to be a next-generation game by setting new standards in gameplay, storytelling and graphics," said Anthony Crouts, Vice President of Marketing for Konami Digital Entertainment, Inc. "We are incredibly excited for fans and gamers alike to reunite with all their favorite characters from the Metal Gear Solid saga while experiencing a game unlike anything they have seen before. We truly believe Metal Gear Solid 4: Guns of the Patriots symbolizes a milestone for videogames, and will be remembered for years to come."

The game was developed by Kojima Productions, the team run by legendary game designer Hideo Kojima, and is retailing for $59.99. A special edition is available at GameStop for $84.99 while a MGS4 PS3 bundle can be purchased for $599.99 at Konami.com.

Metal Gear Solid 4 Receives Perfect Score From Famitsu

Zach Lott — Wed, 04 Jun 2008 13:08:35 -0500

It's not often that Japanese gaming mag Famitsu awards a game a perfect score of 40/40, but Kotaku has discovered via a Japanese blog that Metal Gear Solid 4 has become only the eighth game to ever earn this distinction. Gamers who have been worried about whether or not the game stands up to its predecessors will no doubt be pleased to hear this news.

Interestingly enough, 2008 marks the first time that Famitsu has ever awarded two perfect scores in the same year, the other time this year being for Super Smash Bros. Brawl.

Hit the link to see a scan of the review.

Sony Announces New Gaming Program For Playstation Network

Zach Lott — Tue, 03 Jun 2008 12:40:06 -0500

Sony announced today plans to start a new, interactive gaming program for the Playstation Network entitled Qore, which will provide gamers with news, developer interviews, game previews, and behind-the-scenes looks at upcoming games. The program will be hosted by Veronica Belmont.

The initial episode of Qore will be available on Thursday and will feature content for Secret Agent Clank, Star Wars: The Force Unleashed, Soul Caliber IV, Afro Samurai, and SOCOM: Confrontation in addition to new themes, trailers for Blu-Ray movies, art galleries, and more. There will also be a beta offered for SOCOM: Confrontation.

Qore won't be free, however, as you'll have to pay either $2.99 per episode or $24.99 for an annual subscription to gain access. Those with an annual subscription will only have access to that month's episode and will have new episodes automatically added to their download list.

1up received a demo of the service and commented that it had frequent advertisements whenever they moved to a game's specific section. Sony hopes that the ads won't bother people too much because they are focused on products of interest to gamers.

Here's the trailer Sony placed in their Playstation Blog announcement:

Sony Plans Open Beta For Home In 2008

Zach Lott — Tue, 03 Jun 2008 11:31:32 -0500

After years of promises and hype, it looks like Sony is finally getting ready to start an open beta for Home, their virtual community service for the PS3.

Chris Kohler over at Wired squeezed the information out of Susan Panico, senior director for the Playstation Network, in an interview yesterday. She told him that the beta is still on track for the promised 2008 release and that the "rollout will be similar to Gmail."

With E3 coming up next month, it wouldn't be too far out there to speculate that perhaps Sony will reveal more details at their press conference. Stay tuned.

SCEA: PSP Is A Gateway Drug

Zach Lott — Tue, 27 May 2008 16:52:51 -0500

Nintendo may think that they're the masters of expanding the market, but Sony believes that they just may have the secret weapon to taking people from handhelds to consoles: The PSP.

As reported by Gamesindustry, Sony initially marketed the PSP towards a 28-40 year-old demographic, but they soon discovered that it was a hit among youth. Calling the handheld a "gateway drug," SCEA senior marketing manager John Koller believes that younger people who started gaming on a PSP will naturally become PS3 gamers.

"It's become, from a gaming perspective, a lot different than I think we even envisioned it when we first launched it," he said at a Wedbush Morgan Securities conference. "That's a very good thing. It's expansionary. For us, the PSP is a very high growth, high margin business and something that is a very good product for us."

Indeed, the PSP has been doing well for Sony among the younger crowd, as Japanese children's obsession with the Monster Hunter series has helped the PSP jump to the top of the Japanese hardware charts. It has also done quite well in North America, as it frequently outsells the Xbox 360 and PS3.

Even with this success, the question arises of whether or not sales the PS3 are really being affected by the PSP. Sony may make these claims, but for now the truth of the matter is still unclear.

Playstation Store Update: Haze Demo, Rocketman: Axis of Evil

Zach Lott — Fri, 09 May 2008 21:16:38 -0500

The Playstation Store has been updated yet again, with this week's big attraction being Ubisoft's four player co-op/campaign demo for Haze, the upcoming FPS by TimeSplitters developer Free Radical. Other notable downloads include new song packs for both Rock Band and Guitar Hero III as well as Rocketman: Axis of Evil, an arcade-style shooter from Capcom.

Full list of downloads available after the jump.

Downloadable Games

Rocketmen: Axis of Evil ($9.99)

Add-on Game Content

PixelJunk Monsters Encore ($5.99)

Rock Band

Individual Songs

Date with the Night - Yeah Yeah Yeahs ($1.99)
It Hurts - Angels & Airwaves ($1.99)
This Aint A Scene, Its An Arms Race - Fall Out Boy ($1.99)

Song Packs

Scene Pack 01 ($5.49) - Scene Pack 01 includes It Hurts by Angels & Airwaves, This Aint A Scene, Its An Arms Race by Fall Out Boy, and Date with the Night by Yeah Yeah Yeahs.

Guitar Hero III

Muse Track Pack ($6.25)

"Exo-Politics"
"Stockholm Syndrome"
"Supermassive Black Hole"

Game Demos (free)

HAZE Demo
The Bourne Conspiracy Demo
GRID Demo

Game Videos (free)

WipEout HD Trailer
PLAYSTATION 3 What You Need Video
Mirrors Edge Gameplay Trailer
Mercenaries 2 Payback Trailer
Overlord Raising Hell Trailer
The Wheelman Trailer
TNA iMPACT! Gamers Day Trailer

Movie and Blu-ray Disc Trailers (free)

Indiana Jones: Kingdom of the Crystal Skull Teaser Trailer
The Love Guru
Iron Man Trailer 2

PS3 Themes (free)

PixelJunk Monsters Theme 3
Sports Theme

PS3 Wallpaper (free)

PixelJunk Monsters Wallpapers (x2)

PlayStation Store Update: Dark Sector, Echochrome

Solomon Lee — Thu, 01 May 2008 21:37:03 -0500

Sony has updated the PlayStation Store today, with the Dark Sector demo and echochrome, the mind-boggling puzzle game, leading the way. Highlights include Karaoke Revolution songs, Rock Band Songs and an all new Kung-Fu Panda trailer. The full list of additions is available after the jump.

Downloadable Games

echochrome ($9.99)

Add-on Game Content

Rock Band
- "Zero" - Smashing Pumpkins ($1.99)
- "Time-Sick Son of a Grizzly Bear" - The Mother Hips ($1.99)
- Red Tandy The Mother Hips ($1.99)
Karaoke Revolution presents: Americal Idol Encore downloadable songs ($1.49 each)

Game Demos (free)

Dark Sector demo

Game Videos (free)

echochrome trailer
Battlefield Bad Company Redford Blog
Kung-Fu Panda trailer
Dead Space Announcement Trailer
Turok - "Kane" Gameplay Trailer
Turok - "Bring It" Gameplay Trailer
NBA Ballers: Chosen One TV Spot
Wyclef's "Fast Car" Music Video

PS3 Wallpaper

echochrome wallpapers (x4)
Kung Fu Panda wallpapers (x4)

PSP Wallpaper

echochrome wallpapers (x4)

PlayStation Store Updated: Gran Turismo 5 Prologue, Warhawk DLC

Zach Lott — Fri, 18 Apr 2008 15:57:13 -0500

Sony's Playstation Store has been updated today, with the release of Gran Turismo 5 Prologue leading the wave of this week's new downloads. Other highlights include new content for Warhawk and a controls patch for Lair. You can view the full list of additions after the jump.

Downloadable Games

Gran Turismo 5 Prologue ($39.99)

Add-on Game Content

Warhawk Broken Mirror Pack ($7.99)
Warhawk Booster Combo ($11.99)
Rock Band

Individual Songs

"Still Alive" - GLaDOS and Jonathan Coulton (free)
"Sprode" - Freezepop ($0.99)
"Shake" - Count Zero ($0.99)
"Rock Rebellion" - Bang Camaro ($0.99)
"Call Me" - Blondie ($1.99)
"Simple Man" - Lynyrd Skynyrd ($1.99)
"Message In A Bottle" - The Police ($1.99)

Song Packs

Classic Rock Pack 1 ($5.49) - Classic Rock Pack 1 includes "Call Me" by Blondie, "Simple Man" by Lynyrd Skynyrd, and "Message In A Bottle" by The Police.
Harmonix Pack 1 ($2.99) - Harmonix Pack 1 includes "Rock Rebellion" by Bang Camaro, "Shake" by Count Zero, and "Sprode" by Freezepop

Super Stardust HD Solo ($4.99)
Lair - Dragons and Control Pack (free)
UEFA EURO 2008 Demo

Game Videos (free)

Warhawk Broken Mirror Trailer
Condemned 2: Bloodshot Making Of The TV Spot
HAZE Mantel Corporate Vision
This is Vegas Annoucement Trailer
GT5 Prologue Friendly Fires Video
GT5 Prologue Beyond the Apex Trailer

Movie and Blu-ray Disc Trailers (free)

Pineapple Express

PS3 Themes (free)

Warhawk Theme (x2)
Lair Mokai Theme

PlayStation Store Update: Crisis Core, R-Type Command

Shiva Stella — Fri, 28 Mar 2008 14:50:34 -0500

Two interesting bits have been added to Sony's PlayStation Store today, including a nice blue theme for Square Enix's Crisis Core - Final Fantasy VII and a demo of Atlus's R-Type Command.

Both free items are for the PSP; do note that Sony requires you to be logged into your PlayStation Store account to access the content.

You'll also need to have the free PlayStation Network Downloader software installed prior to downloading the content. You can check that out here if you don't already have it.

GB Review: Wipeout Pulse (PSP)

Shiva Stella — Tue, 11 Mar 2008 23:37:59 -0500

Though it's perhaps not the definitive Wipeout experience, Wipeout Pulse is definitely an improvement on its PSP predecessor in almost every way, offering online multiplayer, customizable music options, seven race types, and even the ability to design your own ship, limited though it may be. It starts slow, and you might be perturbed by the campaign mode now and then as well as a few graphical and acoustic slips, but on the whole it retains the franchise's almost zen-like quality during high-speed, weapons-intense races along with the same futuristic style that fans love.

Click here for an explanation of our review and scoring format.

Wipeout Pulse maintains the feel of the Wipeout universe complete with a futuristic presentation, plenty of techno beats, and fun high-speed races that completely defy a storyline or setting. The essential gameplay aspects of Pulse are strikingly similar to those of its predecessors; the player's objective still being to survive an onslaught of vicious attacks while en route to the finish line for a medal. No significant tweaking has been given to the standard single-race - if you spent more than five minutes with the PlayStation's Wipeout XL then you'll feel right at home, which is a boon for franchise veterans looking for the same thrills they encountered in previous Wipeout games. The dark side of Wipeout racing has also been left intact, with players still blasting each other with three-pronged missile attacks, bomb trails, and the infamous earthquake while nudging opponents into walls or soaring across chasms.

While Pulses basic gameplay aspects might have been overlooked, Sony still managed to differentiate Pulse from its Wipeout brethren by updating the franchises mode offerings. The traditional campaign mode for single-player features the usual seven base race teams vying for supremacy of 12 distinct tracks, with each anti-gravity vehicle sporting its own stats (speed, handling, thrust, etc) and now a loyalty bar that players fill each time they ride with a certain team; obtain enough loyalty points and the game rewards you with a bonus, though other than this free skin gift the bar serves no purpose. The campaign mode is much less linear than in past Wipeout games, though this admittedly comes with some caveats. The mode is split into sixteen sectors, each with four grids, while each grid contains anywhere from eight-sixteen blocks or "racing events" that are unlocked by completing an initial one or two events for that grid. A racing event may contain the usual single-race, zone (in which you fly through a track until you explode, attempting to hit a certain zone count), tournament (short series of single-races), or time trial or it could feature a head-to-head round, speed lap (in which you beat the single best lap time), or eliminator match.

The eliminator race type is a great addition to the series and has players racing to a kill-count instead of the finish line, and while the usual campaign eliminator round has a kill-count of 10, it is possible to up that to 25 for a gold in the game's racebox mode, which enables players to create their own instant matches or additional campaigns (other than that, though, it's practically useless). While the campaign mode is slightly different from what fans are used to, and therefore a bit refreshing, it does get annoying when you're forced to play through events you dislike just to open up the next single-race, zone, or eliminator match, as that amounts to a waste of time for those of us who'd rather race as opposed to perfecting our time trial records. Add to this the fact that the game starts off very slowly for the first four hours and you can accurately estimate the level of frustration you're in for.

The control scheme is carried over from Wipeout Pure and is still as simplistically designed and easy to grasp for newcomers, with D-pad/analog controls managing turning, L/R the left/right airbrakes, X acceleration, and square weapon usage. The absorb ability that allows you to replenish your vehicle's shield (life) is yet another carry-over, followed by the weapon/item (turbo) speed pads that should be recognized instantly by fans as they sport the same X-weapon and arrow-speed design elements, while track design contains the standard loops, tight corners, gaps, and tunnels that you'd expect from almost any racing game.

Sony's biggest sell-point for Pulse is that it features a multiplayer mode that meets Pure's ad-hoc offering and then bests it with online (infrastructure) play, but that's not by very much. The primary hitch is that there are few race customization options here, especially when compared to the almost pointless racebox mode. The only race types for infrastructure include single-race and tournament, which is a shame considering what fun it would be to slaughter opponents online during 25 laps of eliminator. The lack here is a huge missed opportunity and is highlighted by the other "customization options" for infrastructure, which include the ability to select from a handful of tracks and to turn weapons on/off. The attention that racebox received over infrastructure is mind-boggling. Another key issue is that there are very few people playing online, which is sad for a game that's been out for less than a month. Pulse's replay value, which could have been raised significantly by a decent infrastructure, takes another hit from the limited track offerings; the game boasts 12 unique tracks, and while it also utilizes a "black" and a "white" version of each for a touch of variety, that doesn't necessarily up the count to 24 as most of the variations come in race direction and the inclusion of "hidden" areas.

Though most of Pulse's presentation is on par with the rest of the series, showcasing a smooth framerate, mediocre visuals and race tracks heavy on the gray palette, there are some graphical and audio catches during explosions or when a lot of action is occurring on-screen at once, which appears to be more than the game can handle. Additionally there are some clipping issues when the player gets caught in an earthquake attack or lands on his vehicle's nose and has to wait patiently for the game to set him right-side up, after which hes probably lost the race. There's also not a lot of graphical flash except for weapons fire and the destruction of enemy ships, but while that's bearable it's a little more difficult to come to terms with the lag that rears its ugly head precisely as the player approaches a barrage of ships blasting each other into bits. Fortunately the lag is minimal during online play, and in fact its more common in offline races, but this might be because I've yet to play through an eight-person match.

Wipeout Pulse does contain one saving grace: its soundtrack customization. Pulse moves light-years beyond Pure in this area, as it enables gamers to include up to 30 of their own mp3s (depending on card size, of course) in the track list. This absolutely saves the game for those with low tolerance levels for electronica, as track offerings are less than inspiring and pale in comparison to song lists from previous installments. The ambient noises - the hovering of your anti-gravity craft, the thump and skid sounds as you dance near the edge of the track - are intact and functional for most of the gameplay, with the highlight being weapons fire, but there are a few audio catches during intense ship battles as noted above, as well as times when your ship will silently explode to poor background music.

Sony included two other incentives, a free skin editor available on wipeout-game.com and a photo mode, both equally unimpressive. The photo mode is an unnecessary trinket only accessible from the pause menu while the skin editor is plain and cumbersome; its much easier to just download skins from the site than to bother with the online editor. There are also several expansion packs available (or soon to be) for those craving new vehicles, skins, and tracks, but while they add some variety and replay value to Pulse, an expanded infrastructure mode would have made them a greater asset.

Publisher: SCEA
Developer: Studio Liverpool
Release: Feb 12, 2008
MSRP: $29.99
E10+

GB Review: Patapon (PSP)

Shiva Stella — Sun, 24 Feb 2008 22:34:35 -0600

Get ready to drum to the beat.

Patapon is a great musically-geared PSP game from several of the creative minds behind the popular LocoRoco and sports the same simple flair, highlighted by a colorful world, straightforward mechanics, intricate visual details, and a fantastically catchy beat that'll make this an addictive treat for Sony and music-genre fans. But even if LocoRoco let you down, Patapon comes with some improvements: it relies on an actual storyline that gives the game purpose, the "characters" have a touch more depth, and the amount of army tweaking, hunting areas, bosses, and mini-game diversions should offer enough motivation for you to finish it. For $20, you simply cannot go wrong.

Click here for an explanation of our review and scoring format.

As is often the case with deities, you - the 'All-mighty' god of the adorable patapons - have been too preoccupied with the business of the universe to cast them an endearing glance. Completely neglected by their patron deity, the patapons - tiny, bloodthirsty, giant-eyed creatures with a serious knack for rhythm - have been forced to deal with an incursion of the malignant zigotons, ugly suckers that, in the ignorance of the divine, have walled their way between Patapolis, the patapon capital, and the object of the patapons' desire a great, mysterious gift that you conveniently placed at the end of the world. In your absence the patapons have suffered defeat after defeat at the hands of the foul zigotons and in a final act of desperation the sole survivor of the patapons' once magnificent army raises the war banner and cries out for your aid.

Should you answer the call, all of Patapolis will rejoice as you enter the world of Patapon, Sony's mix of real-time strategy and rhythm for the PSP from almost the same folks who brought you LocoRoco, the cute musical puzzle game that had you tapping your toes while sliding colorful blobs throughout the trappings of a rainbow paradise. Though LocoRoco was definitely a delight and a great boon for Sony's handheld, it lacked a certain quality and the player felt like he was maneuvering gelatinous globs for the sole purpose of hearing the next song. Patapon, refreshingly, does more than feature adorable music; it actively incorporates it into the gameplay via a very simplistic control mechanism. The player taps out a command in line with the music and the pulsating edges of the screen, a great help for beginners, and the patapon army behaves accordingly, either advancing (pata-pon), attacking (pon), defending (chaka), or performing the occasional miracle (it's good to see you living up to your reputation).

On the surface, it almost seems too simple; there are no thousand command combo variations that'll trigger some fancy cutscene, no "special" power-ups that'll teach your patapons how to fly, and no healing magic to get your troops back on track. There aren't even items - just four basic commands, yet the music and pounding drums makes them incredibly addictive. The proverbial icing is that each command operates as a strategy, such that "attack" has patapons throwing spears from a wider distance while "defend" orders the patapons to bunch up on the flag carrier, attacking only what approaches the army and therefore narrowing the archer's arch; this is a great maneuver for when bosses are attacking the area immediately in front of them and not the army's flank, where the tightly packed patapons are huddling safely out of reach. Nevertheless, a backup maneuver is sorely missing. When a patapon that isn't the flag carrier dies it leaves a "cap" (its head) behind for the army to collect so the player can resurrect the unit, but patapons at the rear (mostly archers) can get left behind due to the army's inability to retrace a few steps. The lack seems almost silly.

Pon, pon, pata, pon!

While the basic gameplay consists of leading your patapon army throughout the 30+ main missions, Sony threw in some boss battles and lighter hunting areas, enabling the player to collect source materials (rocks, sticks, etc), money (ka-chi), and "legendary" weapons. Admittedly the enemy design is redundant: the first boss the player encounters is a giant turquoise-spotted, fire-breathing dragon while the second is a giant red-spotted, fire-breathing dragon (and yes, both dragons require the same strategy to defeat). The patapons' prey receive the same treatment, boasting black birds, pink birds, gold birds, and the like. However, there is just enough variation and the bosses are just difficult enough to keep the gameplay interesting. For additional diversity there are some nasty environmental aspects including excruciatingly painful lightning strikes and annoying wind changes to watch out for as well as animals that actually fight back, but again, the sole purpose of Patapon is to lead those adorable bug-eyed killers into battle with your significant drumming abilities. As a final touch, the highly important fever mode, which you activate by staying true to the beat for ten commands, is the key to success, sending the patapons into a blood-frenzy that crushes everything in its path; one troop type in particular, the kibapon (cavalry), relies entirely on fever mode and is less than useless without it, though with it the kibapon become war deities that rival the All-mighty Himself. The only downside to the fever mode is that most levels appear designed to encourage the gamer to reach fever by walking forward; this amounts to a lot of empty space and needless repetition, as you can reach fever by standing in-place and defending, if need be. Another annoyance is that the music changes as you initiate fever, so you can easily miss a beat and lose fever if you're distracted by patapon singing and the acoustic switch.

Singing, dancing, and drumming your one-eyed soldiers to success - while the highlight of the gameplay - is only half the story in Patapon, as any great army unleashed by any great civilization requires plenty of bureaucratic management. To this end Patapolis awaits the All-mighty's use, boasting many convenient features, the foremost of which is the life-tree for patapon creation and/or reincarnation (nobody's perfect). At the life-tree you can bring forth many a new patapon by mixing ingredients, usually minerals, meats, and tree branches, for specific race and troop types. If you're looking to create an archer (yumipon), for example, you throw in a rock and a stick and viola - instant bow-and-arrow buddy. To "adjust" the yumipon you simply increase the quality of the ingredients, this time mixing a tytanium ore with hinoki wood to create a tikulee (blue) yumipon, read: an archer with improved stats (HP, damage, speed, crit, etc). There are four basic troop types: yumipon (archers), yaripon (spearmen), kibapon (cavalry), and tatepon (infantry), and each unit within each type my be either a regular (white) patapon or, with a little genetic tweaking, achieve that extra special rank: pyokola (red), gekolos (green), mofeel (purple), or tikulee (blue).

Though the life-tree is the heart of Patapolis, Sony added some elements of the mini-game variety for fun and musical relaxation. As the player completes missions he'll collect "unique" items that can be utilized by the life-tree to create "hero" patapons - the great patapons of lore who kept the troops fed and the altar flooded with resources. The mini-games have you repeat tunes in a 'Simon-says' manner for four lines and, depending on your timing, reward you with prize goods for patapon creation. The rest of Patapolis - the "gateway" to the world map, the base camp (led by the priestess patapon, Meden) - serve as nice perches from you can view plot progression, but otherwise they exist to make the city feel less vacant.

Patapon's presentation is on par with LocoRoco's and is about what you'd expect if you played its pseudo-predecessor: the environs are colorful, the patapons and zigotons are detailed from their helmets down to their very tiny feet, and all character and object design features a simplistic structure and color palette. What differentiates it the most from LocoRoco, besides its "puzzles" (most of which include the obtaining and usage of the proper miracle needed to proceed) and gameplay mechanics, is the inclusion of an actual storyline and characterization, shallow though both may be. The player feels as though there is a real goal to obtain for helping the struggling patapons succeed and not just another level filled with cute little musical "events" that may eventually bore him. This drive to finish the game nicely compliments its replayability and keeps the gamer coming back for more of this unique musical experience, often hunting for kicks or creating patapons to form the "ultimate" army. Perfectionists beware: with more than 100 weapons/armor and plenty of source materials to tweak your darling soldiers, you can spend a few hours doing nothing but gaining goodies and improving stats. Unfortunately all 100+ of those weapons/armor must be obtained by completing missions: you can't take the source materials you already have and turn them into weaponry, which is a missed opportunity that could have added countless hours and much depth to the gameplay. On the whole, however, Patapon is yet another fantastic title on the PSP, perfect for short or lengthy mobile gaming sessions and full of endless acoustic delight. You'll be pleasantly surprised by this one.

Publisher: Sony Computer Ent.
Developer: Sony Computer Ent./Japan Studio/Pyramid
Release: Feb 26, 2008
MSRP: $19.99
Everyone

Sony Hooks GameBump Up With Pursuit Force Swag

Tim Grube — Tue, 29 Jan 2008 10:19:32 -0600

So I've been in the video game industry for almost ten years now and being a video game reviewer, companies like to send out promotional swag along with the reviewable game every now and then. Sony being one of our close friends, sent us yesterday Pursuit Force: Extreme Justice for the PSP along with some crazy promo items to go along with it.

Pursuit Force gloves, a "bling bling" pimp cup persay, and the game was part of this special package. It's a pretty cool setup they sent and was quite impressed. Check out some of the pictures that I snapped on the jump.

Next Team Ico Project Unveiled?

Solomon Lee — Thu, 24 Jan 2008 19:07:07 -0600

Kotaku has reported that Sony Japan has updated their employment page with several job postings and an image that is possibly associated with their next Team Ico project. Team ICO Gamers has declared this imagery to be the very first screenshot of Ico 3.

Those that wish to visit the site can do so here.

Sony Updates PS Store, DMCIV, Club Demos Up

Shiva Stella — Thu, 24 Jan 2008 15:26:33 -0600

Sony has announced its now-customary PlayStation Store update details, which you can view at the jump. Highlights include the Devil May Cry 4 demo, more Folklore content (free), Stranglehold content, Rock Band songs, and Soul Calibur IV (trailer, if that's your thing).

Downloadable Games

PixelJunk Monsters ($7.99 for a limited time)
Folklore Create-a-Creature Winner Add-On (free)
Rock Band

Wonderwall - Oasis ($1.99)

Live Forever - Oasis ($1.99)

Dont Look Back in Anger Oasis ($1.99)

Oasis Pack 1 ($5.49)

Need for Speed ProStreet Extender Pack Premium Car Bundle #1 ($5.99)
Need for Speed ProStreet Extender Pack Premium Car Bundle #2 ($5.99)
Stranglehold

Stranglehold Map Pack ($14.99)

10 additional multiplayer maps including Kowloon Market, Wongs Estate Grounds and the Rooftops of Chicago.

21 all-new multiplayer character skins.

Stranglehold CE Map Pack ($14.99)

10 additional multiplayer maps including Kowloon Market, Wongs Estate Grounds and the Rooftops of Chicago.

21 all-new multiplayer character skins.

Demos

Devil May Cry 4 Demo (free)
The Club Demo (free)

PS one Classics for PS3 / PSP

Jet Moto 2 ($5.99)

Game Videos

Tony Hawks Proving Ground Stevies Skater Story (free)

Movie and Blu-ray Disc Trailers

Step Up 2: The Streets Trailer (free)
Dragon Wars Trailer (free)

PS3 Themes

PixelJunk Monsters Theme (free)
Lemmings Theme (free)

Game Videos (free)

Soul Calibur IV Trailer
Lost Planet Promotional Movie
Brothers in Arms: Hells Highway Trailer
Dynasty Warriors 6 Trailer
Borderlands Trailer

Sony Delays Skype for PSP in Japan, Cites Microphone Issues

Shiva Stella — Wed, 23 Jan 2008 14:20:00 -0600

News is now hitting the Web that Sony has delayed its Skype PSP update announced earlier this month at CES 2008. The company is citing compatibility issues as cause for the delay in Japan, claiming that the feature is on-hold until the microphones Sony designed for its use earn Skype's approval.

You can view the full press release (it's a quickie) at the jump.

SONY COMPUTER ENTERTAINMENT JAPAN TO POSTPONE THE RELEASE OF MICROPHONE PRODUCTS FOR PSP® (PLAYSTATION®PORTABLE)

Tokyo, January 23, 2008 Sony Computer Entertainment Japan (SCEJ), a division of Sony Computer Entertainment Inc. (SCEI) responsible for business operations in Japan, today announced that it would postpone the release of two microphone products for PSP® (PlayStation®Portable), SINGLE PACK (with one microphone, PSPJ-15010) and TWIN PACK (with two microphones, PSPJ-15011), scheduled to be released in Japan on Thursday, January 24th, 2008.

SCEJ planned to release the microphone along with the introduction of Skype features for the new slim and light PSP (PSP-2000). However, it was found that the microphone did not meet the Skype specifications in part to obtain certification and SCEJ has determined to postpone the release of the microphone. New release date will be announced as soon as decided.

With this, SCEJ has also reached a decision to postpone the introduction of the Skype features and services in Japan, scheduled in late January as part of the system software update for PSP. Solutions to enable users to start using Skype features and services on their PSP are being sought for and will be announced in due course.

Sony and ESPN Team Up For X Games

Tim Grube — Wed, 23 Jan 2008 11:25:09 -0600

This is nothing new for Sony, but Sony Computer Entertainment America (SCEA), will enable attendees to experience their own extreme gaming experience at the worlds premier action sporting event. Fans will be able to play upcoming PlayStation 3 and PSP titles at all the PlayStation marked tents.

The titles that will be on hand for playable action include:

Gran Turismo 5 Prologue
Pursuit Force
wipEout PULSE
Burnout
NFL Tour
Demo of AOL Shoutcast for PSP

ESPNs 12th annual Winter X Games begins January 24-27 in Aspen, Colorado. Here is the broadcast schedule for your viewing pleasure.

Patapon: Just a Really Good Deal for the PSP

Shiva Stella — Mon, 21 Jan 2008 16:04:37 -0600

Recently I reported an apparent price-drop for Sony's Patapon, the company's very Locoroco-esque and next promising hit for the PSP. Though the game was originally listed with an MSRP of $29.99, the game's cost remains lowered to $19.99.

Today Sony updated its popular PlayStation blog with the reason for the drop: the cost has been lowered to the Greatest Hits price point in order to attract gamers that might otherwise pass it up or lose it in the barrage of upcoming PSP titles.

Here's the official word from Jeff Reese, director software marketing.

Patapon is really different and highly creative, a new kind of PSP experience we dont want anyone to miss. So to make it more accessible to everyone, we are happy to officially announce that we are releasing it at $19.99, lower than other new PSP games. Its a game that shouldnt get lost with some other big titles launching on the platform. It deserves your attention because its very cool.

Totally called it. You can look for the game on February 26.

PlayStation 4 Development Farther Along than We Thought?

Shiva Stella — Thu, 17 Jan 2008 13:37:45 -0600

Though the dust has yet to settle on this current generation of consoles (all three have only experienced one holiday season together on store shelves), rumors of next-generation development inevitably spring up here or there.

Popular German site, Gamefront, is reporting that Sony (Japan) is currently seeking a software engineer to work on backward compatibility for the PlayStation 3 and an un-named next-generation system (which as far as we know would be the PlayStation 4). The engineer would implement and improve emulation of PS1, PS2, PS3, and PSP (also for PS3) for this next-generation hardware.

If one believes the rumor then PS4 development must be much farther along than seems reasonable, as all three companies have expressed a desire to extend this generation's life-span as long as possible (remember that ten-year mark that Sony set for the PS3?)

One would also have to believe that it'd be a great bonus for the PS4 to feature backwards compatibility all the way back to the original PlayStation, taking advantage of Sony's extensive lineup throughout the years. Of course, it's just as likely that this is a mistranslation blown out of proportion.

The rumor follows a recent Microsoft rumor regarding the Xbox 3.

You can check out an image of the job listing text here.

Japanese Gamers Care About Content, Not the Money

Shiva Stella — Thu, 17 Jan 2008 12:21:09 -0600

According to a report on the Dow Jones Newswire, a recent survey has "discovered" that Japanese gamers "care more about the games they want to play than price," as a poll of 3,422 gamers on kakaku.com claims that 49.2% say their primary concern in choosing a new console is that it be "compatible with the games they absolutely want to play."

Here are some figures for those who like numbers.

43% wish to buy the most popular console
6.1% are mostly concerned about price
25% own a Wii
25% own a DS
10% own a PlayStation 3
10% own a PSP
3% own an Xbox 360
28% hope to buy a Wii next
27% hope to buy a PS3 next

I can only assume that 0% are interested in buying an Xbox 360 as their next console, as a figure wasn't given for Microsoft's unit. Maybe they're saving up for a DS or PSP in a new color?

Anybody surprised by this at all?

New Twisted Metal: Head On Extra Twisted Visuals, Details

Shiva Stella — Tue, 15 Jan 2008 12:44:15 -0600

Sony has unveiled new screenshots and package details of Twisted Metal: Head On Extra Twisted Edition for the PlayStation 2. The game is a essentially a port of the PSP title Twisted Metal: Head On, only with several key improvements. The Extra Twisted Edition includes:

The Core Game Itself- Yep, the hit PSP game - Twisted Metal:Head On - is now on PS2. And now its running at 60 frames/second, has improved textures and art, and even has a new level created specifically for this version (Transylvania Castle).
The Lost Levels - Four brand new levels straight out of the dark, demented world of Twisted Metal: Black. These levels are designed with two player deathmatch in mind and I think they are some of the best Twisted levels we have ever made. My favorites are Suburban Terror and Stadium Slaughter.
The Twisted Metal Symphony- folks who purchase the game will get a free code to let them download a free copy of The Twisted Metal Symphony. TMS is a compilation soundtrack of the greatest musical tracks from TM1, TM2, TM:BLACK, and TM:HEAD ON. Yes, old school TM fans, Rooftops from TM1 WILL be on there!
A Continuous Suicide Of Reason: The Art Of Twisted Metal- a pack in art booklet filled with concept art dating back to the very first Twisted Metal game.
The Dark Past- A 30 minute documentary tracing the history of Twisted Metal, the struggles the team went through in making the games, the success, the failures, the fans,etc. Heck, we even touch on what went wrong with TM3 and Tm4 and what the original team REALLY feels about those games. Its a nice little doc that- I feel- is much more honest than the usual making of puff pieces you see [in] a lot of games these days.
Sweet Tour- This is where you get to take control of Sweet Tooth himself and run him around some levels built for Twisted Metal: Black 2. As you run around, you find icons you can collect. Each icon opens up concept art and behind the scenes information about the making of the series.
The Lost Ending Movies- Back in 1995, I wrote and directed some live action end movies for the very first Twisted Metal. Because they were deemed too sexist and too violent, they never saw the light of day. But its 2008 now and what was once offensive is now just- to most folks- cheesy and charming. So these flicks are on the disc for folks to finally judge for themselves if they are cinematic masterpieces or the final proof of my total lack of talent. Im sure youll let me know which.

You can view the screenshots here or at the link below.